Lite Bipe
"Refined ugliness is beautiful."
John Hunton—the designer of this odd-looking creation—proudly proclaimed that it was "Probably the ugliest model airplane ever designed." He also said that it is "an excellent example of 'form follows function.'"
The second statement is true. But beauty is as beauty does, and that makes the Lite Bipe fairly good-looking.
Originally conceived as a competition fun-fly design, this model plays to the strengths of the biplane configuration with high drag and low wing loading. It features a thick airfoil section and can maneuver in small, tight spaces without stalling.
The low-aspect-ratio layout enhances the roll rate to the point of absurdity. Hunton likened the design's rolling capability to a "whirling dervish." Unusual throughout, the model even sports a Band-Aid can muffler. With a 37-inch wingspan, the weight should not exceed 3 pounds, 5 ounces. The built-up and trussed balsa construction will help you attain that weight.
An O.S. .40 SF engine powered the original model, but many other engines on the market will do as well. This aircraft is also a good candidate for conversion to electric power.
As the late and legendary Bill Winter said of this design, "Refined ugliness is beautiful."
The Lite Bipe was featured in the August 1992 issue of Model Aviation (MA) and is plans set 718C. Full-size plans on two sheets are available through the AMA Plans Service (see the ad on page 199).
- Wingspan: 37 in
- Target weight: not to exceed 3 lb 5 oz
- Original engine: O.S. .40 SF
- Construction: built-up, trussed balsa
- Plans: set 718C; available from the AMA Plans Service (2 sheets)
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
